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Bodacious Bustlines »Bra Buying Tips
Why Bother with Good Fit?
Most women, at some point in their lives, have had at least one bra that fits properly. Maybe it was the first bra you owned. Perhaps your mother took you to the local department store and let the clerk there assess the fit of that all-important first bra. After that, life happened: you got older, perhaps had a pregnancy or two and your weight may have fluctuated up or down by more than a few pounds. As well, do not forget chronic disease, illness, or the inevitable effect of gravity! The nastiest one of all is the Menopausal years, where the breasts grow overnight and don’t go away. You wanted that new bustline when you were 20 not in your 40’s! All of these factors will take their toll and can change the size and distribution of the breast tissue.
Yet, unbelievably, some women are still buying the same size bra they bought 20 or more years ago! Whether this is due to vanity or ignorance about correct fit, or whether being so busy looking after everyone else’s needs that their own needs get sublimated, this question is one of life’s little mysteries, and probably a combination of all these factors.
It is impossible to look for a perfect fitting bra without first understanding what is considered a good fit to start with. Considering that 7 out of 10 women are wearing the wrong size bra, it appears that not everyone knows what a good fit is all about, let alone what it looks like and feels like. A bra doesn’t fit just because it’s pretty or on sale!
One of the frequent comments heard from women regarding their bra size is that they don’t want to go into a larger cup size because they do not want to look too big. This is nonsense – a correctly fitting bra will actually make you look smaller! How? Bras that cause the breasts to bulge make us look fat, just like clothes that are skin-tight, will accentuate every bulge.
You will always look slimmer in clothes that fit properly. Improper fit in a bra is, at best, uncomfortable, and causes the clothes you wear over it to hang and drape incorrectly: at worst, the lack of circulation in the breast caused by constriction of the blood vessels has been linked to several breast-related health issues, including breast cancer. A correctly fitting bra is not just a matter of vanity; it is a matter of your personal health.
While every woman has her own ideas and preferences about fashion, style, and fabric choice (and thank goodness we do), the primary functions of a bra have always been to support as well as to cover the breasts in comfort. But not all bras do all things well – just because a bra covers you or is comfortable doesn’t mean it has good support. By the same token, it may be supportive, but if it still doesn’t cover you adequately or it isn’t comfortable, you won’t wear it.
A good fit is by nature a combination of good support, good coverage, and comfort.
Good Support
Strive for cups that fit all the way around each breast with the band and the center front sitting on or very nearly on the breastbone.
The band should be wide enough to hold the cups in place without being too tight or riding up in the back. Support in a bra comes from the band – band elastics should not roll up or dig into the ribcage.
Straps should be sized to be comfortable without twisting or digging into the shoulders. The cup fabric itself should be stable enough to keep the breast inside the cup and support the breast comfortably while performing everyday activities.
The wires should encircle the breast mound and not poke, pinch, pull, or protrude.
There should be no flesh bulging out of the bra anywhere. Bras that conjure an image of “two melons in a hammock” are not supporting the breasts, in fact, they are transferring the weight to the straps, which can cause problems in the arms, neck, shoulder, upper and lower back.
Good Coverage
If a bra-type garment is to be used as outer clothing, such as a halter top or a swimsuit, you may wish to make it more modest. Exceptions to this, such as exotic dance or fetish wear, or playtime bras showing a lot of breast, will always have to be considered by the wearer and what level of coverage they are comfortable with.
Comfort
The comfort factor is always a personal decision and no amount of persuasion on the part of a bra fitter is going to convince you that the bra is comfortable. You need to do some investigation to see what the cause of the discomfort is.
At Bodacious Bustlines we have such an extensive selection to accommodate all 3 categories we are sure to be able to find something that is good comfort, good coverage, and comfort! If you have a favorite style we do not have in stock, we generally can order it.
All the staff at Bodacious Bustlines Bras and Lingerie have been trained by Angela Scully, who has 32+ years of experience in the fashion design, textile, manufacturing, and retail industry.
Bridal Tips
Planning your Wedding? Now is the time to learn about what goes under your dress.
2. Come try on corsets or the foundation you wish to wear with your dress at least minimum of 3 months prior to your event. This gives us time to order and make alterations to the bustier, corset, or strapless foundations you choose.
3. Bring in the dress if possible, it makes our job so much easier. If that is not possible, mark on yourself with a pen where the dress line is front and back. We also offer with a VISA or MC the foundation on loan for your fittings. Please ask the staff for further information.
4. Most Brides see us on the average of three times, initial fitting, then a refit, and then for all the fun stuff for the honeymoon.
5.We offer a 2 week on loan for corsets or bustiers with a credit card on hold. This is not processed but is held till purchase of the foundation. This allows your store or seamstress to see the fit of the dress with all the right stuff underneath.
One of the biggest challenges this season and next is the Illusion back or keyhole back dresses that are cut right down to the very waist. If you are considering these styles really think through your foundation. We have low back bustiers and U-Bras that we can convert to clear back straps and shoulder straps. Be very aware that stick-on cups or putting in a “cup” is not going to give you any support or lift and is not a good option.
When the seamstress says they can put in cups step back and take a picture of yourself in the dress with a proper foundation and without and see the difference. Cups DO NOT stop the dress from collapsing in the torso. Also, those cups may show up in pictures as a slight circle under the fabric, especially on a breast bigger than a D cup. This has been shared by many photographers.
There are so many do’s and don’ts in formal foundations, it is best to visit our knowledgeable staff in either store to explore your options. Bring a picture if you can. The best selection for bridal and grad foundations is Warman hands down! It is the bigger store with 5 change rooms and room to spread out the gowns to view properly.
Thank you for being proactive this year as these are the highest numbers we have seen ever in our 8 1/2 years of being open in SK. These are record numbers for most of the months. and with Grads hitting heavy for May and June now is the time to start looking. We have awesome stock levels also right now.